Learn More

See, Play and Learn

Research

Resources

For You

Summary

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and other tissues that form a sling or hammock across the pelvis. In women, it holds the uterus, bladder, bowel, and other pelvic organs in place so that they can work properly. The pelvic floor can become weak or be injured. The main causes are pregnancy and childbirth. Other causes include being overweight, radiation treatment, surgery, and getting older.

Common symptoms include

Feeling heaviness, fullness, pulling, or aching in the vagina. It gets worse by the end of the day or during a bowel movement.

Seeing or feeling a "bulge" or "something coming out" of the vagina

Having a hard time starting to urinate or emptying the bladder completely

Having frequent urinary tract infections

Leaking urine when you cough, laugh, or exercise

Feeling an urgent or frequent need to urinate

Feeling pain while urinating

Leaking stool or having a hard time controlling gas

Being constipated

Having a hard time making it to the bathroom in time

Your health care provider diagnoses the problem with a physical exam, a pelvic exam, or special tests. Treatments include special pelvic muscle exercises called Kegel exercises. A mechanical support device called a pessary helps some women. Surgery and medicines are other treatments.

National Institutes of Health

Disclaimers

MedlinePlus links to health information from the National Institutes of Health and other federal government agencies. MedlinePlus also links to health information from non-government Web sites. See our disclaimer about external links and our quality guidelines.